Canterbury
More than half of Canterbury's residents (55.2%) were born overseas, 33.6 percentage points above the national average, while university qualifications at 51.7% run 21.6 points higher than nationally. Yet the $790,000 median price reflects an apartment-dominated market (62.9%) where two-bedroom units account for 49.2% of all dwellings. The SEIFA profile shows an education-affluent suburb (IEO decile 8) with moderate economic resources (IER decile 4), a gap that suggests highly educated residents occupying rental-heavy, smaller dwellings. Renters at 49.0% nearly equal owners, and vacancy at 10.3% signals meaningful oversupply in the rental market.
Population
9,430
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,882/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
49
Median House
$790K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Apartments dominate at 62.9%, so the $790,000 median reflects unit-heavy sales rather than house prices. Prices rose 12.0% from $750,000 in 2024 to $840,000 in 2025. Two-bedroom dwellings make up 49.2% of stock, while four-plus bedroom homes are just 12.4%, meaning families seeking space face a constrained market. Monthly mortgage repayments of $2,200 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.0%, comfortably below the stress threshold. Only 29.4% hold mortgages and 21.6% own outright, reflecting a suburb where buying is the minority tenure. Canterbury station provides rail access, with 17.3% using public transport, above the Sydney-wide average.
For Buyers
Apartments dominate at 62.9%, so the $790,000 median reflects unit-heavy sales rather than house prices. Prices rose 12.0% from $750,000 in 2024 to $840,000 in 2025. Two-bedroom dwellings make up 49.2% of stock, while four-plus bedroom homes are just 12.4%, meaning families seeking space face a constrained market. Monthly mortgage repayments of $2,200 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.0%, comfortably below the stress threshold. Only 29.4% hold mortgages and 21.6% own outright, reflecting a suburb where buying is the minority tenure. Canterbury station provides rail access, with 17.3% using public transport, above the Sydney-wide average.
For Investors
Renters at 49.0% provide a substantial tenant pool, but the 10.3% vacancy rate is concerning and runs well above the healthy 2-3% range, suggesting structural oversupply possibly linked to new apartment supply outpacing demand. Median weekly rent of $470 against a $790,000 median gives a gross yield of roughly 3.1%, moderate by Sydney standards. With 48 DAs lodged in 12 months, development activity continues. The 28.5% residential turnover rate is high, indicating a transient renter population. Net overseas migration likely drives demand given the 55.2% overseas-born share, making the suburb sensitive to immigration policy shifts.
Development Activity
Total DAs
222
Last 12 Months
49
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+22.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Canterbury iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Canterbury Public School
K-6 · 346 students
Canterbury Girls High School
7-12 · 722 students
Canterbury South Public School
K-6 · 269 students
Canterbury Boys High School
7-12 · 422 students
Demographics
Chinese ancestry leads at 1,550, followed by English (1,226) and Greek (705), reflecting Canterbury's multi-ethnic composition. The 55.2% overseas-born rate is 33.6 points above the national average. University qualifications at 51.7% are 21.6 points above national, placing Canterbury in the top quintile for education despite its moderate income profile ($852/week personal). Mandarin (409), Greek (251), Arabic (201), Nepali (162) and Cantonese (152) lead non-English languages. Median age of 34 is 6 years below national. Average household size of 2.5 matches the national figure. Christianity (3,807), Buddhism (728) and Islam (446) are the main religions.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
29.3%
Houses
6.3%
Townhouse
62.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership is split between 21.6% outright and 29.4% on mortgages, with renters dominant at 49.0%. Apartments comprise 62.9% of dwellings, with houses at 29.3% and semi-detached at 6.3%. The bedroom mix skews small: two-bedroom units at 49.2% and studios/one-bedrooms at 15.5%, while three-bedroom stock is just 22.8%. The median rose 12.0% from $750,000 in 2024 to $840,000 in 2025. The price-to-income ratio is approximately 8.1x annual household income, lower than many comparable inner-west suburbs because the apartment-heavy sales mix suppresses the median relative to house-dominated suburbs.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,200
Rent / wk
$470
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$852
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.3%
Unoccupied
417
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.3%
Couples, no children
7,084
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads at 16.5% (563 workers), followed by professional/technical services at 12.1% (413), education at 10.4% (356), finance at 8.2% (279) and hospitality at 7.3% (250). Professionals dominate occupations at 1,324, with clerical/admin (645) and managers (566) following. Full-time employment at 66.2% is moderate, but the participation rate of 48.4% sits below the national average, with 2,793 not in the labour force. Unemployment at 7.0% runs above the national rate. The IEO decile 8 confirms strong educational credentials, while the IER decile 4 indicates moderate economic resources, a gap consistent with high renter share.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.2%
Part-time
26.8%
Participation
48.4%
Employed
3,628
Occupations
Top Industries
University
51.7%
Postgraduate
15.5%
Born Overseas
55.2%
Dwellings
3,607
Transport to Work
Public transport usage at 17.3% is above the Sydney average, supported by Canterbury railway station. Car driving at 72.5% still dominates, but walking/cycling at 5.0% is moderate. Canterbury has 4 government schools, all scoring above the national 1,000 ICSEA benchmark: Canterbury Public School (1,082, 346 students), Canterbury Girls High School (1,059, 722 students), Canterbury South Public School (1,038, 269 students), and Canterbury Boys High School (1,018, 422 students). The IRSAD decile 8 and IEO decile 8 indicate above-average advantage and education access. Rent-to-income at 25.0% is below the stress line.
Drive
72.5%
Public Transport
17.3%
Walk / Cycle
5.0%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Canterbury compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Canterbury a good suburb to live in?
Canterbury suits professionals and families wanting inner-west access at below-median Sydney prices. The $790,000 median is apartment-driven (62.9% units), and mortgage-to-income at 27.0% sits below the stress threshold. All 4 local schools score above the national 1,000 ICSEA benchmark. The IRSAD decile 8 confirms above-average socio-economic advantage, though the 10.3% vacancy rate suggests renters have negotiating power.
What is the median house price in Canterbury?
The median is $790,000 (PSI derived, apartment-dominated), rising 12.0% from $750,000 in 2024 to $840,000 in 2025. Median weekly rent is $470 and monthly mortgage repayments are $2,200. At household income of $1,882/week, the mortgage-to-income ratio is 27.0%, which is below the 30% stress threshold and lower than many comparable inner-west suburbs.
What schools are in Canterbury?
Canterbury has 4 government schools, all above the national 1,000 ICSEA benchmark: Canterbury Public School (1,082, 346 students), Canterbury Girls High School (1,059, 722 students), Canterbury South Public School (1,038, 269 students), and Canterbury Boys High School (1,018, 422 students). Both single-sex and co-educational options are available without leaving the suburb.
Is Canterbury safe?
Crime data is not available for Canterbury in the current dataset. The IRSD decile 6 indicates moderate disadvantage, sitting around the national midpoint. The IRSAD decile 8 suggests overall above-average socio-economic conditions. Canterbury's high population density of 4,802 people per km2 and entertainment corridor may produce higher incident volumes than lower-density suburbs.
Is Canterbury good for property investment?
Gross yield is roughly 3.1% ($470/week on $790,000), moderate for Sydney. The 49.0% renter share provides a deep tenant pool, but the 10.3% vacancy rate is a red flag suggesting oversupply. Capital growth was 12.0% over the last year and 48 DAs were lodged in 12 months. The 28.5% turnover rate means tenant retention requires competitive pricing.
How is Canterbury's population changing?
Canterbury's population is 9,430 with a median age of 34, which is 6 years below the national median. The 55.2% overseas-born rate is 33.6 points above national, making immigration the likely primary growth driver. Residential turnover at 28.5% is high, consistent with the renter-majority (49.0%) composition. Average household size of 2.5 matches the national figure.
What languages are spoken in Canterbury?
Mandarin (409 speakers), Greek (251), Arabic (201), Nepali (162) and Cantonese (152) lead non-English languages. With 55.2% born overseas (33.6 points above national), Canterbury is one of Sydney's more linguistically diverse suburbs. Chinese ancestry (1,550) is the largest non-English ancestral group, followed by Greek (705), reflecting longstanding multicultural settlement.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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